


Stage One - Preparation

by LoveChilde



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Ares is Sneaky, Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, Community: purimgifts, Gen, Only They're Gods, Sibling Rivalry, Zeus's ego
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:42:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29678595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveChilde/pseuds/LoveChilde
Summary: Ares has someone roped his parents and siblings into participating in his own version of the Hunger Games. They discuss this, while they prepare to enter the arena, with their usual decorum, restraint and familial warmth.
Comments: 1
Collections: Purimgifts 2021





	Stage One - Preparation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wildcard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wildcard/gifts).



“You realize of course that he’s using us, don’t you?”

“Well, of _course_ I do, darling, but you have to admit, he’s so very good at using us, I could hardly refuse!” 

Athena’s voice was chill and precise, even somewhat sardonic. Aphrodite’s reply was like a flow of liquid honey, sunny and a little cloying. Athena sniffed. 

“You always did like it when he used you. It’s demeaning, being used to entertain.”

“Bread and circuses, dear sister, are the order of the day.” Dionysus, short and dumpy and perpetually sloshed, nudged by her. “If I am the circus, you are certainly plain enough to be the bread.” 

“I’ll show you ‘plain’, you little shit!” A spear materialized in Athena’s hand, and only quick action by one of her sister’s menaids saved the somewhat younger divinity from retribution. “Plain! You _dare_!”

“Of course he dares, he’s Dionysus. He hasn’t thought clearly in literal eons.” The bored yet deep and masterful voice of the father of the gods drawled from behind her. “My question, daughter, is how come that I, lord of the skies and father of the gods, am only fifth in the order of entry.”

“You’re fifth because our brother has made you his little bitch, father.” These brave to the point of insanity words came from Hades, curled up in a corner and firmly behind Athena’s favorite shield, which saved him from a solidly hurled lightning bolt. Being the last one due to enter, Hades rather thought that his lowly position allowed him certain liberties. Clearly, he was wrong about that. 

Briefly, all was confusion, as fabric, weapons, lightning and ice and salt water, feathers and fur, flew around as the gods bickers, tussled and otherwise made the lives and work of their attendants extremely difficult. It had been hard enough to convince them all to participate, to find each of them the costume and the scenery that would best represent them, but would also outshine, in whatever way, the other eleven participants. Getting them not to harm each other _before_ the Games began was a whole other challenge, but one which promised very interesting Games, all the same. Lord Ares knew his business.

However, they were on a schedule, and time waited for no man, god or creature. 

“Your Divine Highnesses-” A functionary, a centaur with two clipboards and multiple pens tangled in his mane, strode carefully into the room and stomped his hoof a few times for attention. “Please, finish your preparations. The Grand Entrance is about to begin.”

Nymphs, sylphs, satyrs and various beasts, mythical and mundane, whisked into action, and in short order every one of the gods and goddesses roped into participating in Ares’s games had been removed to their own preparation rooms, and just in the nick of time, too. The centaur plucked a pen from his mane and marked a box on the clipboard. He sighed, looking rather unsettled. 

“Let the beginning of the game begin.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy first day of Purim! Hope you enjoy.


End file.
